The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is postponing the elk research project in northwest Minnesota due to scheduling delays and unfavorable conditions to safely and successfully capture and collar elk.
Capture efforts were planned for January 2025, when temperature and snow conditions are typically optimal for spotting and capturing elk. Scheduling delays by the contracted helicopter capture company pushed captures to mid-March and currently, the project area has no or minimal snowpack. Both near- and long-term forecasts predict above average temperatures and inadequate snow accumulation.
“The decision to postpone the project was difficult and made out of an abundance of caution for the health and well-being of the elk,” said Amanda McGraw, DNR deer, moose and elk scientist. “Not only were we facing challenging conditions due to higher temperatures and lack of snow cover, but the delays had pushed the capture window into the late-term pregnancy period for cow elk, where capture and handling present the greatest risk to both cows and calves.”
The project is rescheduled for the winters of 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. Researchers plan to capture 25 adult cows and up to 15 adult bulls each of these two winter seasons and fit the animals with GPS collars that will collect their locations every three hours and alert researchers of potential mortality events. Biological samples will also be collected to assess herd health and genetic diversity.
Cow elk will also be fitted with transmitters so researchers know when they give birth, allowing researchers to quickly locate newborn calves. Up to 25 calves each spring will be fitted with GPS collars to monitor their survival and assess what habitat types they are using.
The research will allow managers to better understand the state’s elk population and address interest in maintaining and strengthening the resiliency of the elk population and the potential for future growth of Minnesota’s elk herds.
Funding for the elk research project comes from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources and approved by the Minnesota Legislature. The DNR is also providing in-kind support.
More information on elk research and management in Minnesota or how to sign up for the DNR Elk Notes quarterly newsletter is available at the DNR elk management webpage (mndnr.gov/elk).
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